LOCALS ONLY: Album Review

by Zachariah Weaver

Sunset Pilgrims

Sunset Pilgrims, an Inland Empire-based eight-piece soft-rock band, has successfully mashed together a little playful summer fun, some wistful and sweet lyrics and melodies and a lot of head-bobbing beats with their latest EP, The Children Used To Sing, which came out Aug. 27. The self-released album is tremendously difficult to stop playing once the sound peaks its hypnotic tones through your speakers, so just watch out.

Described by lead singer-songwriter Jake Tittle as both happy and blissful, the band’s new album is actually the product of nearly three years of writing, which explains the exciting back-and-forth mood swings each song brings to the table.

Replicating some of the sounds of Arcade Fire and Noah and the Whale, Sunset Pilgrims rides on a very unique music-wave of their own. Their sound smashes a hint of post-rock and indie-alternative together, but they pull that combination off in such a natural way, it’s hard to even give it a definition. Each new song destroys any perception you thought you’d have after listening to the previous one.

But the first time I really knew there was something interesting going was when track three—“Sunflower” began, and Tittle sang “I love to watch the sun set; it leaves me with no regrets. I knew that you were lonely, asked you to be my only. I hate to see you go again.” There’s an earnest tale of someone who keeps leaving him and these opening lyrics do just the trick in setting the stage and closing it up as well. Just like this one song clearly cries out about the saddened departures of a loved one, the entire album communicates the band’s sound in a truthful and honest manner.

Moving on, the song “Contradiction,” should actually be used as a perfect example of how you might feel after sitting through the entire album. But it’s not some sort of confusing state-of-mind type of contradiction. It’s sort of how Tittle explained his own sound; it’s a feeling of bliss with a little yearning for the future thrown in.

However, it’s not most important to know how this EP will make you feel afterward. What is important to know is that it actually makes you feel something. That’s usually the mark of some pretty great tunes. And Sunset Pilgrims’ new album definitely has that going on.

Interestingly, this EP is sort of a warm up to get fans excited for a full-length album the band is currently working on. And if these six songs have been up their sleeves for three whole years, it’s exciting to imagine what else they have in store.

Make sure to head over to the band’s website where you can buy or stream the album now.